The Warrior Games
by Glimmershine01
Summary: Deathpaw, an apprentice who has just lost his sister to a rare sickness, has been chosen to compete in the Warriors Games, a brutal tradition. he doesn't know any moves, though, so his chances of survival are slim. Will he make it through, or will he die along with all of the other apprentices? this is chapters 1-6. Another chapter will have 7-13.
1. Chapters 1 though 6

Chapter 1

I poke my head out of the den. Shinepaw stirs behind me. She mumbles something. She says it louder...Still nonsense. I go over to the stream and smell... Moonclan... Darkclan... Oh no. I whip my head back and whisper, "Why is this happening?" I suddenly smell blood and hear yowling from the forest around me. We're being attacked! On my first day as an apprentice! I don't know how to do the warriors' fighting moves! what am I going to do! A warrior of another clan, Moonclan I think, slashes his claws across my chest... I scream in pain. I am practically a kit! What am I supposed to do! The warrior slashes repetitively and I lay down, playing dead, though I am just inches away from _not_ _playing_ dead. With blood pooling around me, I realize this is not a warrior attack. It's not even a camp! How did I get here! I wake up in my camp, safe, Not even a scratch. I had been dreaming. The scent of blood had been...NO! Shinepaw! I forgot about my sister's sickness! It makes her cough up all the blood in her body, slowly killing her. She cannot live in the apprentice den; she has to stay on the edge of camp, where no one ever goes. In a makeshift den that wouldn't be there if Starclan were on my side. She will not survive to see the warrior games. No one calls her Shine_paw_ but me. they all call her a kit, a shameful thing for them to do. They know she is miserable and cannot do anything about it. They say she is a "helpless kit" and say things like, "call her Bloodmouth for her warrior name, if she gets one!" I run over to her den to say goodbye. I find that our mother and father are already there with their heads bowed. "Is she..."

"Yes." says our mother, Blueflower. "she is."

Chapter 2

Shinepaw! No. I won't believe she's dead. I try to wake up. I cuff myself over the ear. Still not waking up.

"Listen, Deathpaw I-" says my father before I cut him off.

"I don't care." I walk out of the den. Outside of the camp I go to the sacred spring. I take a drink and say out loud, "WHY, STARCLAN? IT WASN'T HER TIME!"

"Saying that won't help at all. She is not gone within you. Look inside yourself. She is right in front of your nose but you're too busy looking to see it." A voice says behind me.

"You speak words of wisdom, Redblossom. If I get chosen, you'll help me, right?"

"If it is necessary, yes." Redblossom is the old cat that told me about Shinepaw's illness. I was devastated, and had been ever since. She used to be in BlazeClan; the former deputy in fact. "I have educated you in the strong ways of the ancient cats. If you remember, you will have more of a chance than the other cats. I will teach you the basic ways of healing when you need it. Just search your memory when you are asleep. I'll be there at the darkest hour." And she disappeared. What did she mean by 'the darkest hour'? I heard the ring of the shine stone deep in my ear when I remembered that the choosing was today. I run back to camp.

Chapter 3

We're walking along the lonely road to the Crystalstone. The remainder of the burnt trees slowly sway in the slight breeze. "Hey Deathpaw, your little friend used to live in the grove."

"I know, she told me."

"_Loony_paw should be your name! Furzepaw is _joking_! You don't really still have imaginary friends, do you?"

"She's not imaginary, is what's wrong with that idea, _Fool_paw"

"So I suppose that Your sister knows your little friend too?" the smug she-cat snorts. "Speaking of Bloodyfur, where is your little blood clot?"

I gulp the words into my mouth. They're as foul as bile. "She's..." I can't say the words without my eyes tearing. I bite my lip. I won't cry in front of these mousehearts who bully for authority and end up being the star scavengers of the forest. "My sister is dead and she is not a BLOOD CLOT!" All eyes are on me now. I shrink down and stay quiet until we arrive at the grove.

We were a small band of cats, because we didn't have many apprentices. We got to the grove where I saw a gray cat with blue stripes and black spots. The only other spot was next to her, so I sat down. Leaves of the sacred oak rained down on the clans, blocking visibility. Whispers of ancient cats and beauty wreathed us. As the leaves cleared,a cat descended from the sky. A great voice boomed from the top of the Great Oak. "WELCOME, TO YOUR SEVENTH WARRIOR GAMES! I AM YOUR HOST THIS YEAR, STARSHINE!" the cat from the sky says, his fur sparkling against the bark of the tree.

"Starshine! Starshine!" the clans shout.

"THE WARRIOR GAMES, AS YOU HAVE HEARD, MANY TIMES, HAVE BEEN CHOSEN TO TAKE PLACE WITH CONTESTANTS BEING THE YOUNGEST CATS IN THE CLANS, EXCLUDING KITS. THE YOUNGEST APPRECNTICES ARE AS FOLLOWS:"

"THE MOONCLAN APPRENTICES, OAKPAW, GREENPAW, AND GRAYPAW!"

"Oakpaw! Greenpaw! Graypaw!"

"THE LIGHTNINGCLAN APPRENTICES, THORNPAW, BRIGHTPAW, AND LEAFPAW!"

"Thornpaw! Brightpaw! Leafpaw!"

"THE DARKCLAN APPRENTICES ARE SHADOWPAW, LIGHTPAW, AND VENOMPAW!"

"Shadowpaw! Lightpaw, And Venompaw!"

"LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THE BLAZECLAN APPRENTICES ARE, DEATHPAW, POOLPAW, AND IVYPAW!"

" Deathpaw! Ivypaw! Poolpaw!" All twelve apprentices step up the shining ramp of branches that has been there for as long as I can remember. I'm in the warrior games. I don't know a single move. someone tries to volunteer for me, Furzepaw, maybe. Taking pity on a small wimp like me, but I don't let them. If anyone is going to die, it will be me. I've lost my most prized possession. I don't have to live. There's no one to want me to. I don't care. I'll go.

Chapter 4

Thornpaw was the midnight blue apprentice I saw back at the grove. She had seen how brave I had been, refusing to be volunteered for. She had asked me if I knew any moves, I said no, and she had been training me since then. She had made up some moves of her own, like the lightning slash. (that move required using balance on front paws and usage of back claws.)

At preparation, when they got you ready for the games, they put golden liquid on your claws, which they hardened to a long, sharp, point. It was strong!. They used glistening silver bark to sharpen them to a finer point. The medicine cats there also worked dark berry juices into your fur that made you blend in to the dark forests. It wouldn't wash off in the rivers either.

Then came the testing. They had you attack towers of strong, heavy rocks with a leaf mold coating. They gave you a rank; Good, Great, Poor or Excellent. Then the attack manager taught you how to use better attack posture and a few moves. they tested again. I got a Great thanks to the lightning slash. With all of her other awesome moves, Thornpaw got an Excellent. These ranks described the chance you would have in the Games.

We got to spend one more night in our clan dens. The next day, bright and early, would be the start of the games. I had quite a few supporters. They sometimes gave you gifts that would help you. In the morning, I reported to the outfitting room to get a nest supply, (which was just a fluffy, evergreen leaf) a water bowl, (which was a smooth bowl carved out of wood and bark to store water in) a satchel (a flexible , fine pressed bark bag that kept prey from spoiling too quickly). Now, it was time for the games.

Chapter 5

The arena, a big forest or desert, usually, included, scenery wise, a vibrant forest, A big lake, cliffs, and rivers of assorted size. If it was this pretty, there were sure to be quite a few large threats.(e.g. Dogs, large river monsters, etc.) We stand on silvery leaves. A big yowl signifies the start of the games. The bigger cats run to the big hole in the ground where the prey and herbs are. The cats back at home called it the bloodbath. They called it that because cats killed one another for the largest pieces, and sometimes even, Deathberries. I see Thornpaw's pelt shiny with blood. _No!_ I won't let her die like my sister did! I race into the straggle. It is the cat named Venompaw, He's got her by the back of the neck, the target area for the death bite.

He's thrashing her back and forth like a dog would. He throws her aside and I rush over to her. Blood is pooling around her rapidly. my claws have the golden liquid on them. I insert one of them into the bitten area. I lift her by her scruff and take her to one of the cliffs. The area I've selected has a small sheltered pond on the top of it. I start building the camp. I use all of the supplies, the evergreen leaves, the water bowls, I even work the satchels into it! the camp is very sturdy after a good day's work on it. Thornpaw wakes up in the middle of the night and nearly scares the fur off of my skin. ( it would be good bedding, but, I would be very cold.) I tell her where she is and that she is safe in the camp but she is hurt. I feed her a piece of prey that I caught yesterday. I give her an herb to help the pain in the back of her neck. I hear a rustle from the bushes of the escape tunnel. A black cat with white splotches comes in to the den. she yowls when she sees us. I know her... I know this cat... "Wait, don't be scared, I've seen you before! We won't attack you!"

"No! Don't hurt me! I'm not threat... wait, what?"

"We won't attack. Even if we did, I'm not that strong and Thornpaw is hurt."

"Huh? 'omeody all y ame?"

"Thornpaw! No! who did this? was it this wimp? nononononononono!"

"No, it was Venompaw of Darkclan. She's a little groggy from the herbs I gave her and-"

"Yeah the grogginess is a given I'd think. I could give you a couple pointers on how to make them taste better and reduce the grogginess some. On the condition you let me travel with you. You seem like good company. Also I could travel with my sister and protect her."

"This is your _sister_?"

"Well, yeah. I'm Oakpaw from Moonclan. I'm a practitioner. Thornpaw is from Lightningclan. She knows my father, I don't."

"You can travel with us. I'll go hunt. I hope you have your supplies and the time to expand the den. There's barely enough room in the den for only two of us."

"I have all the time in the world." He grinned. This career was scared at first, but now he was our... basically guardian. I would hunt, sleep and watch Thornpaw the next day. I looked forward to it.

Chapter 6

I don't mind Oakpaw traveling with us. NO cat bothers to even approach until... Then. On a bright day about a week later, Thornpaw is fit to travel. We pack up the camp and load our shares into the satchels. We load the satchels onto our backs and set off. We are heading to the top of the mountain, where there will hopefully be more prey. Oakpaw spots some berries that look familiar... "NOOO!"

"What? They look tasty! You know we can't travel, fight or survive in general without a good meal."

"A good meal of doom? These are yew berries. You must never eat them unless you _want_ to die, and we don't want that, now do we?"

"Oh. These deathberry things we hear about? Are these them?"

"Yes, now let's move on. The day isn't getting any longer!" I snap.

"All right, all right, who made you clan leader?"

"No one!" In my franticism, I could swear by Starclan I had scented Venompaw. "I scent Venompaw, all right?

Thornpaw looked up meekly. "Umm, guys? Look behind you!" She sounded as frantic as I felt.

I turned around, feeling as enclosed and scared as a mouse. Sure enough, peeking through the thorn bush behind us, were the savage, blue, eyes of Venompaw, ready to kill at the slightest funny look.

**Author's note: That last sentence didn't make sense... heheh. **


	2. Chapters 7 through 13

Chapter 7

POV: Thornpaw

My paws were frozen. This was the moment the choosing, the preparation, the assessments, had all come down to. The moment families started tearing up, thinking they would loose their kits to the dark abyss of death.

Venompaw lunged, bowling Oakpaw over and sinking his teeth into Oakpaw's throat. I waited in silence as Venompaw turned to Deathpaw and me. "Who's next?" the sinister voice uttered. He lunged at Deathpaw and I waited to see another motionless body lying on the ground. But, next thing I knew, Deathpaw was bowling me over, knocking me out of reach of Venompaw's lethal claws. I thanked him silently.

I watched, awestruck, as Deathpaw evaded, confused and tossed Venompaw, eventually producing a bloody, beat-up, Dying, Venompaw.

Seeing that the coast was clear, I ran over to Oakpaw's body. He tried to move his head to greet me, but he was loosing too much blood. I couldn't stop the mist from taking over my eyes. I was loosing _another_ loved one! The sadness was overwhelming. As the tears ran down my face, I heard Deathpaw approach behind me, also sad. _Despite their quarrels, Deathpaw seems to have loved him as much as I do!_ Emotional pain was overwhelming me. Not realizing, I buried my face into Deathpaw's shoulder. At first, he was tense, but he rested his head on mine after a few heartbeats.

"Thornpaw, I'm sorry. I feel like I should be taking blame for this since... since I thought this entire time is should protect you and Oakpaw. Is it safe to say that I loved him as much as you did?"

he waited for me to respond.

"Deathpaw?"

"Yes? Anything."

"It was anything but your fault. It wasn't anyone's fault. If it was anyone's fault, it was mine. You see, when we were kits, Our mother died. She was killed protecting us. Darkclan raided our camp. After that, I swore over my mother that I would always protect Oakpaw... Protect him from anything!"

I paused since my tears were coming back. "Then when we were separated, it was Darkclan again! They took him at a Gathering-During a truce! Later, they gave him to Moonclan... Sold him like an emotionless... something..." My tears were heavy. I decided to stop.

Deathpaw was tearing up too. "Thornpaw, If you had died instead of him, I don't know what I would do without you!You see? I love you! I have since the choosing! Since I saw you step, head high onto the Great Oak, I have loved you. Please forgive me if this is too soon, but I have no one since my sister di-" I cut him off.

"Deathpaw?" My tears were clearing up. "Deathpaw? I love you too." before he could say anything else, I pounced on him. I pressed my nose against his. _I don't think I've been this happy since my first trip out of camp!_

Chapter 8

POV: Deathpaw

°¤ The next day¤°

I step out of under the small bush Thornpaw and I camped in. I step out to a brutal sight. All of the cats that died during the games were lying on the ground in front of me. Except, there was a new edition. Thornpaw was lying with her blue eyes frantic, on the end of the row of cats.

Her belly was sliced- or should I say gouged open in a gigantic gash, fresh blood still oozing out of the wound. I thought franticly, _No! I promised myself I wouldn't let this happen! _

I woke up shaking, with tears rolling down my muzzle. Thornpaw was tearing up looking down at me. I had shredded my nest in my fear. I was crying so hard Thornpaw had to hold me down to stop my shaking. She promised that it was just a dream and that I was awake. I walked out from under the bush, relived. But... something was wrong. Suddenly, a starry cat appeared. _Redblossom!_

_Why's she here? _

"Welcome, young one. You and Thornpaw are the last two cats." Redblossom said with a slightly 'I-told-ya-so' smile. "You know what that means, right?" She chuckled. After doing that for a bit, she disappeared. I remembered the berries Oakpaw had seen. _I know what I have to do._

I set off, tail in the air and head held high.

POV: Thornpaw

°¤Sunset¤°

Where was he? He'd promised to be back before moonrise! I pace in front of the bush. We are the last cats. I sighed. There was a yowl of terror in the distance. _Deathpaw! _I raced away in the direction of the yowl.

I stumbled into the river and started floating downstream. I yowled for help, though it was useless. I shivered at the thought of the dark abyss under me. The great journey ahead... if I didn't swim. The rocks battered me till I couldn't get up the strength to work my legs. I let go and let my legs hang as I gave up.

POV: Deathpaw

°¤Moonhigh¤°

Chasing Thornpaw down the river and reassuring her was more work than it seemed. She was bloody, beat up and, probably tired.

In a leaf wrap in my mouth was filled to the brim with deathberries. The venom was the key to _both _of our survival- considering whether Thornpaw survived or died in the river. I yowled as I saw the river... end! I ran full speed ahead to catch up. A voice echoed in my head. _In death, I cannot live without you, yet I know you can live without me. Let me go... Let me go... _

**Author's note: That will be explained later in the story.**

Chapter 9

POV: Thornpaw

I had almost given up on my survival when I saw the dark gray, white and gold cat rushing to catch up to me. He dropped the leaf wrap he was carrying and jumped in, to save me. I tried to keep myself above the water, but my paws were too weak. I slumped against what was left of an eroded rock. He shouted something…. "Thornpaw! Thornpaw! Wake up! Please! Please wake up!"

I opened my eyes, and tried to stand up, yet my paws were weak. Deathpaw was standing over me, pleading for me to wake up. My eyes flickered closed as I fell into another deep slumber. This one was horrific. A line of the dead cats were lying, beaten and battered. But, there was an addition to the end of the line next to Oakpaw… This cat was Dark gray… and gold… with some white….. _DEATHPAW! NO! _

I woke up. Recovering from my reoccurring dream was harder than I thought. Deathpaw was crouched in the corner, possibly crying. I fully woke up and recovered, stalked over to see what Deathpaw was crying for. I prodded him with my paw and he whispered, "Redblossom, don't say it. I've won. I'm the last cat."

"No. Deathpaw, it's me. It's me Thornpaw."

Chapter 10

POV: Deathpaw

"Th-Thornpaw? Is it really you?" I was breathless. I had thought I was the last cat in this brutal game, but there was still a chance for both of us to win! I saw the leaf wrap of deathberries oozing… blue juice? Deathberries were red! Not blue! I pawed at it, and Thornpaw unwrapped it for me to look inside. Dazed, I saw juniper berries inside.

She choked out at me "Eat them. You're obviously shocked. I'm not only good at fighting, you know." She smiled wearily back at me from her bloody stance on the den floor. She was wet from when I rescued her from the river's end. It seemed like the world's end, considering her importance in my life. I whirled around when I saw Thornpaw's stricken expression. She was looking at the spirit forming behind me.

When the full spirit took shape, it was a starry version of Redblossom's lean shape, outlined in a glowing, pulsing aura that kept youth in the stars. An image of my poor sister flashed through my mind. She would never know the joy of being a warrior, even in Starclan. She had been so unfortunate, dying as a young apprentice. I was even more unfortunate, losing her as a young apprentice. Not to be like a mopey-twoleg-with-black-fur-and-tendrils-coming-out-of-it's-ears, because some cats' lives really are fox-dung.

**Author's note: "mopey-twoleg-with-black-fur-and-tendrils-coming-out-of-it's-ears"** **might be used again.**

Chapter 11

POV: Redblossom

Those cats never stop their ignorant ways. You just can't change them! No matter how much you tempt them, you can't make them follow directions! I doesn't help they're in love. He should have let her fall over the waterfall! They don't realize the importance of these games; because no cat has bothered to tell them the real reason they're here. The games would shut down that way. Starclan can be such mousebrains sometimes! Yet, it's obvious he needs healing skills, so he might as well know them.

"What are you doing here, Redblossom? You've caused enough pain in my life already!"

"If you don't want to hear what I have to say, say so. I didn't kill your sister, and I don't make the game. I'm on your side, if you couldn't figure that out yourself, through all the knowledge I've given you these past moons. I wouldn't have taught you how to track prey if I didn't have to. I'm no cat anyone would call normal! An-and I hate that."

Redblossom, what are you saying! Don't tell them your origin! They'll hate you for it! But, it's valuable information… They can't know! She heaved a sigh of frustration. Oh who am I kidding, they need to know! She sighed again, and knew what she had to do. "You've heard the legends of Firelight, correct?"

They both looked confused. "It's a yes or no question!" she sighed again. "I'll take that as a 'no'." She breathed deeply. "I'll tell you."

Chapter 12

POV: Deathpaw

I was confused. Was the cat I'd known from kithood… not? Not who she'd said she was? Tears gathered in my eyes, slurring my vision. Redblossom was starting her story, which I sensed would be long-ish. Thornpaw stirred-somewhat frightfully-beside me. I was as worried as a mouse being chased back to its den by a ravenous cat on a hunting patrol. I got to the feeling of getting back to my mouse hole, if of course I was in the mouse world.

Redblossom's story...

**Author's note: ...will be continued in the next chapter! =) (that smiley looks like it has lipstick, lol.)**

Chapter 13

POV: this is the story, people. No real POV.

_"Long ago, there lived a peaceful clan of wild cats, just beginning to develop a code to live by and to govern their actions fairly. No cat could agree on anything to carry out the latter. Yes, they had settled borders, and hunting rights, but basic things like under-aged apprentices were still being done. Warriors were inexperienced when they became deputies or took apprentices, stupid and mad with power if they lived to become leader. Some cats now would say nearly all of the leaders chosen then were cruel and ruthless, which, in some instances, they were. All except for one wise, caring, and compassionate cat. His name was Firelight. _

_ His gold, black and ginger fur always sparkled in the light of early morning, glowed by the moonlight and shimmered at midday. His ocean colored eyes were wise and deep as the lake the cats has settled around and were learning to swim in, gradually as a mountain glacier moves, slow as the brown bear lumbers along._

_ His leadership was the only thing that carried out success in the construction of the warrior code we live by today. The previous cats that lead that clan had wanted to abolish battle once and for all, and it had killed them all, one by one, like a ruthless badger leaving death and destruction in it's wake. Firelight, however, made the rule that there would never be clan to clan battle, but instead, the youngest cats of each clan would get together every twelve moons and fight to the death, resulting in one winner, rewarded with a warrior name. A special one, signifying strength and strategics. This tradition would be held in a different area of the territory outskirts each year. Victors would be treated with respect, and one day make the journey back home, as a final test of survival and determination." _

**Author's note: Don't worry. I explain things. =) (that will be known as lipstick smiley from now on.**


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